The South Bay cycling community has been swept with the horrifying news of a pregnant cyclist being the fatal victim of a hit-and-run this past week in Gardena.

The South Bay Bicycle Coalition sends our deepest sympathies to her family.

We believe that in this time of sadness our communities should reflect on how these types of incidences can be eliminated in our region. These tragedies occur throughout Los Angeles more often than many of us realize. While the circumstances surrounding each incident varies, a common denominator is a lack of cycling awareness on auto-oriented streets.

Cycling safety and awareness can be vastly improved by reviewing our streets with heavier consideration for all users of the road, including pedestrians and cyclists.

By providing more prevalent bikeway signage, as well as consistent bike paths and lanes, we can inform vehicles and cyclists of the safest ways to share the road. By educating all users of the road to acknowledge and respect traffic laws and each other, we can set important precedents for improving safety and circulation of our community.

We hope that this incident will act as yet another reminder that bicycle infrastructure and policy in the South Bay requires the attention and action of our cities, our residents, our visitors and our motorists. We have the opportunity to prevent future tragedies. A number of cities in our region have offered their support in the development of the South Bay Bicycle Master Plan, which will provide improved policy and bikeway systems across the South Bay. We invite the residents and all civic leaders in the city of Gardena to partake in this process.

The South Bay Bicycle Coalition fully supports the actions of the Gardena Police Department in this investigation and asks that anyone with knowledge in this hit-and-run case contact the proper authorities at 310-217-9670. Our thoughts go out to those who are suffering her loss.

– Marissa Christiansen

South Bay Initiative director

South Bay Bicycle Coalition, Redondo Beach

Obama should take a stand

I found Shannon Rosenfeld’s letter (“Obama holds to principles in debate over mosque,” Wednesday) very interesting. Like her, I read the piece by Charles Krauthammer concerning the Ground Zero mosque. Unlike her, I generally agree with Krauthammer’s always eloquent prose. But I don’t understand how one could agree with Krauthammer on Day One, and then agree with Obama on Day Two.

On Day Two, Obama said nothing more than most middle school students should know about the Constitution. We do practice religious freedom in this country and the Muslims have the right to build a mosque on any piece of private property – subject, of course, to local zoning laws. What Obama failed to comment upon was whether the “right” to build the mosque made it the right thing to do. Just because someone has a constitutionally guaranteed right to do something does not make doing it the right thing to do. That is where Obama’s failure to speak out showed his utter lack of leadership. He has refused to say whether building the mosque is the right thing to do (at that location and under the circumstances that make it the Ground Zero mosque). Obama displayed cowardice, not courage, regarding this issue.

– Harry Komsky

Redondo Beach

First lady’s trip doesn’t merit ire

We very much enjoyed Kathleen Parker’s column Aug. 12 (“Dog days bring dogged scrutiny of Mrs. Obama”). We have heard so much unnecessary anger over our first lady Michelle Obama taking a vacation with her and the president’s daughter. As Parker wrote, she deserved a vacation.

We now have a president and family who really care about the people in our country and they have had a lot on their plate to deal with. Michelle has done nothing prior first ladies have not done. As Parker pointed out, with all the necessary security involved, of course it’s not a frugal affair. However, it’s nothing unusual. And give the lady a break since this was no whim but also to comfort a friend who recently lost her father and whose daughter (a friend of Sasha’s) wanted her to celebrate her birthday.

Join the Conversation

We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. Although we do not pre-screen comments, we reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.

If you see comments that you find offensive, please use the “Flag as Inappropriate” feature by hovering over the right side of the post, and pulling down on the arrow that appears. Or, contact our editors by emailing moderator@scng.com.